The Middle Child's tears
by poledancingspringz
Summary: Andromeda, the odd one of her three sisters, struggles to make her mother and sisters love her again after she falls for a muggle-born, Ted Tonks. But Sirius, her rebellious older cousin, forces her to disown them. What can she do?


The Middle Child's tears A/N: This is just an idea I had. The three Black sisters are mentioned but Bellatrix (the elder) and Narcissa (The younger) are the ones that have big parts (at the moment) but what of the middle child? I have a story planned, and if I get good reviews for this first bit then I might bother typing it out and posting it. Disclaimer: All the characters and their backgrounds belong to Ms. Rowling. This story is based on what Sirius says about Andromeda in the Order of the Phoenix.  
  
Prologue Five years ago, Andromeda waited nervously on the doorstep with her two sisters and her mother. She hadn't seen her London cousins for years, but they were staying at the Black family mansion where they lived for a few weeks before her sultry older sister Bellatrix and the oldest of her cousins went to Hogwarts for their first year, as it was closer to Kings Cross station.  
The door opened. A rebellious looking tall dark haired boy opened the door. Behind him, a shy looking small boy with dark hair and big blue eyes stared at the new comers curiously. Towering over the pair was a formidable looking woman with her black hair pulled back in a tight knot.  
Greetings were exchanged, and the two branches of the family went into the living room.  
"Now then Sirius," said his mother, her eyes hardening as they fell on her son. "Please show your cousins their rooms. Regulus dear," her dyes softened again, "Please help the girls with their luggage."  
Sirius glared at his mother for a few moments, then got up and stalked out of the room.  
Once they were all out of the living room, Bellatrix gave both of her cousins an appraising sort of look before holding out her hand to Regulus and saying, "Long time no see, little cousin," and holding out her hand to him before she did to Sirius. This didn't seem to improve his mood. Andromeda was getting rather scared of her cousin by now, and she didn't feel any better about him when he started going rather red in the face.  
"Hi Bellatrix, I am here you know!" he said, trying to keep calm.  
"I offer my hand to the oldest first," she said, raising her eyebrow at him.  
"I am the oldest, that's what it's called when someone was born first, like me and like you."  
"I'm sorry, but this one seems to behave much older that you." Sirius' face went even redder and Bellatrix smiled. It looked like he was finding it hard to put in words what he wanted to say. He could only manage to swear at her.  
"I'd watch your mouth if I were you," said Bellatrix coldly. "We are going to be in the same house at Hogwarts. If you don't help me to keep the Black family name out of the dirt-  
"Who cares?" retorted Sirius, "I might not be in the same house as you! And this family is already in the dirt for me. This family will be the death of me. You'll be the death of me."  
"You don't want to be in Slytherin?" asked Bellatrix, her voice like poisoned honey dripping from her tongue.  
"I couldn't bloody care less where I am put, as long as it isn't in Slytherin."  
"You foul blood traitor. You betray the purity of wizarding kind. You are truly evil, you-  
"Shut up!" Sirius and Bellatrix looked at Andromeda, who had just spoken. She glanced away from the daggers that were the eyes of her sister. Andromeda didn't know why it had come out of her like that, but she had watched her sister taunt people like that for too long. And Sirius already looked unloved, he didn't need any more of that kind of treatment. Andromeda knew what her aunt was like.  
"Um... shall we go then?" suggested Regulus timidly.  
Andromeda had been given a room to herself, which was perfect for what she planned to do.  
The night before Bellatrix and Sirius left, Andromeda crept into Sirius' bedroom. He was sleeping. Andromeda relaxed a little. She placed her present onto his bedside table. It was a photo frame, with herself and Sirius together, taken recently. They had become friends during Andromeda's stay at the mansion. She had made the photo frame herself and on the bottom edge, she had written, "to show that someone cares."  
Andromeda left the room as quietly as she could. When the door creaked shut. Sirius immediately opened his eyes, tears spilling onto his pillow. 


End file.
